Collapsible crate



'Apr. 10, 1923 C. L. PETERMAN COLLAPSIBLE CRATE 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Sept Apr. 10, 1923 1,451,449 C. L. PETERMAN COLLAPSIBLE CRATE Filed Sept 10, 1921 2 sheets-sheet 2 whim:

Patented Apr. 10, 1923.

CHARLES L. PETERMAN, or YORK, PENNSYLVANIA.

COLLAPS IBLE CRATE.

. Application filed September 10, 1921. Serial No. 499,600.

To all whom it mayconcem.

Be it known that 1, CHARLES L. PETER? MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at York, in the county of York and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Crates, of whichthe following is a specification.

The objectof this invention is to provide a crate for shipping poultry which maybe easily collapsed and returned to the shipper in a reduced space. The invention also seeks to provide. a crate for shipping poultry of suclr construction that one fowl may be withdrawn if desired or, when desired, all the fowls may be permitted to pass from the crate without requiring the owner, to directly handle the fowls. The invention also seeks to provide a collapsible crate which will be firmly locked in its extended condition and will also be firmly retained in collapsed position when it is to be returned to the original shipper. Other incidental objects of the invention will appear in the course of the following description and the invention resides in certain novel features which will be particularly pointed out in the claims following the description.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved crate showing the same as it appears when set up to contain fowlsand also ar ranged to permit all the fowls to pass out; Fig. 2 is aside elevation showing the crate in collapsed positionin full lines and partly extended in dottedlines; 1

- Fig. 3 is an end view of the crate in collapsed condition;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail perspective viewof one corner of the crate showing the same partly collapsed;

. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail longitudinal section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4;

. Figs. 6 and? are detail perspective views.

The crate comprises an imperforate bottom 1 having rails 2 secured upon its upper side along its longitudinal edges. Tothe under side of the bottom 1 immediatelyadjacent the longitudinal edges thereof, I se-' cure .the reinforcing metallic straps 3, the

ends of which are turned upwardly and secured to the ends of the rails 2 and projected above the same,-as shown at4. To each upturned extremity of each reinforcing strap 3, I secure a hinge 5 to which is in turn seupper end of said toggle brace 6 being connected by a hinge 7 with the lower end of a similar toggle brace8 which has its upper end in turn secured to a hinge 9. The toggle braces 6 and 8 may conveniently be constructed of angle plates whereby their outer longitudinal edges will be provided with flangeslO adapted to abut in the extended position, as shown in Fig. 1, and when in collapsed position, fit within longitudinal recesses 11 and 12 provided in the rails 2 and the side bars 13 of the crate top respectively. The crate top consists primarily of the side bars 13 and the end bars 14 defining a rectangular frame of the same dimensions as the bottom 1. Extending between the end bars 14 parallel with the sidebars are the equi-distantly spaced longitudinal beams or braces 15 and extending between the said braces and between each brace and the adjacross rods or slats secured across'said frame.

The cross bar 17 more remote from the hinges 18 carries a spring latch 20 and has secured to its under side a plate 21 which projects inwardly beyond the inner edge of said cross bar to support the free end of the door 19, as will be readily understood, the spring latch 20 engaging said free end of the door so as to hold the door normallyfastened in closed position. On the upper sides of the side bars 12, I secure the bracing strap 22 having its ends turned downwardly andseoured to the ends of said side bars and also secured to the hinges 9. At the center of each side bar 12-on the outer side of the same is a recess 23 within which is pivotally hung a hook or latch 24 which is supported at its free end by a pin 25 within the same recess when the crate is set up for use. A

recess 26 is provided in the outer side of each rail 2 at the center of the same, and a pin 27Qwithin saidrecessisengaged by the hook At each end of the crate, secure to the no i disposed bars.

bottom of the same by hinges 28 an end frame 29 consisting of bars secured together at. their ends in rectangular formation and spaced slats or rods extending between the upper and lower, bars. These end frames 2) are adapted to swing over onto the bottom 1 of the crate so as to lie flat thereon when the crate is collapsed or to swing upwardly and rest in vertical position with their lower edges bearing upon the upper side of the bottom 1 when the crate is to be set up. To the upper sides of the rails 2 at the inner edges of the same I secure hinges 30 to which are attached the end frames 31, said end frames being also constructed of bars secured together at their ends in rectangular form and spaced slats or rods extending between the longitudinally corners, the side frames are constructed with the recesses 32 which are adapted to fit around the hinges 9 when the crate is set up, and at their lower or outer corners, the side frames are constructed with the recesses which will conform to and accommodate the lower hinges 5 so that there will be no interference between adjacent parts when the side frames are being moved from one position to another position. For the same purposes, the corners of the end frames are provided with the recesses 34 to fit around the inner ends of the upper hinges 9 when thecrate is set up and adjacent their lower corners the ends of the end frames are con structed with the longitudinal recesses 35 to accommodate the hinges 30 when the crate is collapsed and with the intersecting recesses 36 in their outer surfacesto fit around the lower hinges 5 when the crate is set up.' The end frames each also carries a latch 37 which is adapted to engage a socket in the top of the crate when the crate is set up for use so that accidental collapse of the crate will be prevented.

When the crate is collapsed, the end frames are swung down onto the bottom of the crate so as to lie flat thereon and the side frames are then folded inwardly so as to rest upon the end frames. The toggles presented by'the braces 6 and 8 are then folded inwardly, as shown in Figs. 2, 4t and 5, so that the crate top will be permitted to drop down upon the folded side frames,

after which the latches or hooks 2a are engaged with the pins 27 whereupon the crate will be ready for return shipment. Upon reference to Fig. 2, it will be readily noted that, when the crate is in collapsed condition, the flanges 10 of the toggle braces 8 will bear against the outer sides of the crate topso that lateral movement of the top relative to the bottom and the intermediate parts will be prevented and distortion of the crate will-thusbe avoided. When the crate At their upper or inner is to be set up for use, the hooks or latches 24 are released from the pins 27, after which the top is raised so that the toggles presented by the braces 6 and S will be straightened and the inner ends of the toggle members will be caused to abut, as shown in Fig. 1, thereby forming an effectual brace to maintain the top in proper spaced relation to the bottom. The side frames are then swung upwardly and outwardly and will fit between the toggle braces with their end bars bearing against the inner sides of the members (5 and 8 as well as against the inner sidesof the flanges 10 on said members so that the flanges will prevent outward movement of the side frames and thereby relieve the strain upon the hinges 30 and the side frames will, in turn, fit so closely within the toggle members as to prevent collapse or breaking of the toggle, a very rigid crate being thus produced. After the side frames have been swung into vertical position, the end frames are swung upwardly between the ends of the side frames and the spring latches 37, which may be of any well-known construction, will engage the sockets in the crate top and will thereby prevent collapse of the crate. The fowls may be placed within the crate one at a time through the opening for the door 19, but it will be more eX- pedient to leave one end frame in its lowered position, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the fowls may be driven through the open end of the crate until the crate receives the allotted number of fowls, after which the lowered end frame may be raised to its closed position, as will be readily understood. Obvi-.

ously, of course, if it is desired to remove only one or two fowls or any number less than the entire number contained in the crate, the door 19 may be opened to permit the removal of the fowl, but if it be desired to remove all the fowls, one end frame may be lowered and the fowls driven from the crate through the open end.

As shown at 38, the ends of the bottom 1 are slightly recessed at their corners to accommodate the ends of the reinforcing straps 3 and the ends of the crate top are likewise slightly recessed, as shownat 39. The width of the reinforcing straps 3and 22, as well as the width of the toggle braces 6 and 8, is somewhat greater than the thickness of the side frames so that, when the crate is set up, the inner edges of the upturned ends 4 of the straps 3 and the inner edges of the toggle braces 6 and 8 Will project inwardly beyond the side frames and will form stops to limit the upward and outward swinging movement of the end frames and will therebyaid in maintaining said end frames in proper engagement with the side frames so that collapse of the set .up crate in any direction will be positively prevented.

The crate can be producedat a low cost and will be found very durable and may be very easily and quickly Collapsed or set up as conditions may require. l

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A crate comprising a bottom, end frames and side frames hinged to the bottom to swing over onto the same, a top, and toggle connections between the top and the bottom, said toggle connections constituting stops to limit the opening movement, of the side and end frames."

2. A collapsible crate comprising a bottom, a top, toggle braces connecting the top and the bottom at the corners thereof and provided with flanges disposed parallel with the sides of the top and the bottom, side frames hinged to the bottom to fold over onto the same or to extend vertically therefrom and engage the under side. of the top, the ends of the side framesbeing arranged to bear against the inner faces of the toggles and against the fiangesof the same, and end frames hinged upon the bottom to fold over onto the same or to be swung upwardly between the ends of the side frames and against a side frames hinged to the rails at the inner edges thereof'to fold over upon the end frames, a top, and toggle connections between the top and the bottom, said toggle connections having side flanges'to constitute stops to limit the upward and outward movement of the side frames, and the top and the rails being provided withlongitudinal recesses to accommodate the flanges of the toggles when the crate is collapsed, j

the side frames being provided at their ends "with recesses 3 to accommodate the lower hinges of the toggles when the crate is set up,

and the end frames being constructed in their end surfaces with recesses to clear the hinges connecting the side frames with the rails and thelower hinges of the toggles.

In testimony-whereof I afiix my signature.

CHARLES 'L. PETERMAN. 1.. 8.] i I 

